To Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch (Rashab) the issue was a matter of spiritual life and death. Throughout the conference, he railed the government’s plan. When he rose to speak, he publicly exposed the ministers who had threatened pogroms.
“True,” the Rebbe proceeded to declare: “We live under the dominion of the Russian regime. Their jurisdiction however, is restricted to material matters. It is not within the capacity of any power on earth to decree over matters of our faith.”
The Weekly Sedra – Pekudei – Mission Accomplished
In the year 1910, the czarist government convened a “rabbinical conference” – the aim of which was to enforce change concerning Jewish religious life. Prior to the meeting, participants were privately shown a list of 102 Jewish communities where pogroms were “likely” to “occur,” should the conference fail to produce the desired results.
To Rabbi Sholom DovBer of Lubavitch (Rashab) the issue was a matter of spiritual life and death. Throughout the conference, he railed the government’s plan. When he rose to speak, he publicly exposed the ministers who had threatened pogroms.
“True,” the Rebbe proceeded to declare: “We live under the dominion of the Russian regime. Their jurisdiction however, is restricted to material matters. It is not within the capacity of any power on earth to decree over matters of our faith.”
Following his impassioned words, he was immediately placed under house arrest, but not before being revived from having fainted.
Soon after, when one of the leading rabbis of the time came to visit, he found the Rebbe weeping. “Lubavitcher Rebbe!” exclaimed the rabbi, “why are you so distressed? Haven’t you done everything in your means?”
The Rebbe utterly failed to relate to this logic. “And therefore?” he asked with a genuine sense of bewilderment. “The reality is that we have not yet accomplished our mission of averting the malicious decrees.”
There is much emphasis and regard in Jewish law and thought for human intention. In fact, good intentions sometimes count for more than anything else. Effort, is likewise held in high esteem. There are matters in Judaism that depend entirely on the integrity and degree of the effort invested. However, this is not always the case.
There are times when good intentions and healthy exertion are not enough – they just don’t cut it. Sometimes it is of critical importance that the issue at hand actually be accomplished on the most corporeal and tangible level. Anything short of getting-the-job-done is tantamount to failure. Sort of like the salesperson who just can’t close a deal.
The ability for a given objective to be brought into fruition on an actual and concrete plane requires a unique form of tenacity as well as Divine guidance and blessing.
I shall never forget the words of my six year old son – spoken in utter exasperation – after struggling to no avail with a model airplane: “Can’t anything in this world ever work right!?”
It is truly a magnificent triumph to witness the successful completion of a complex endeavor. The more difficult the undertaking, the greater the joy in seeing it come to fruition. This phenomenon takes on a complete new dimension when dealing with communal objectives. The mission is so much more complex and the miracle that much greater.
Our Parsha, Pekudei – the final portion in the Book of Exodus – summarizes the glorious accomplishment of the Children of Israel in building the Mishkan (Tabernacle) – the edifice that was designed to house the Divine presence in this temporal world.
It was a mammoth feat – an act that consumed an entire nation. Men and women of all ages played a role in this great endeavor: “Every man whose heart inspired him came; and everyone whose spirit motivated him brought the portion of G-d for the work of the Tent of Meeting – for all its labor and for the sacred vestments. The men came with the women; everyone whose heart motivated him . . . raised up an offering of gold to the Lord.” (Exodus 35:21-22)
Upon seeing the Mishkan complete, the nation beheld the magnificent accomplishment with great joy and fanfare. Moshe was so moved by the sight that he did something he’d only do one other time – just before his passing – he blessed the entire nation.
Rashi describes the nature of his blessing: “May the Lord rest His presence in your handiwork.” What is the meaning and purpose of this blessing, and what accomplishment do the completion of the Tabernacle and the book of Exodus represent?
At the beginning of the commandment to build the Tabernacle the Torah states “And they’ll make Me a sanctuary and I’ll dwell among them.”
Amongst the many religions that have come and gone, there are those that have relegated G-d to the heavens of heavens and there are those that have turned Him into wind and sand. None has ever dreamt of fitting an elusive, holy and infinite G-d into a lowly and finite vessel.
At the end of our Parsha, the Torah describes what happened once the Mishkan was erected and all the vessels had been positioned in their proper places: “Moshe made a final inspection of all the Mishkan’s components and lo! they had accomplished it as G-d had commanded and Moshe blessed them.” (39:43) The Torah proceeds to describe how G-d’s presence filled the Mishkan. “And the cloud covered the Ohel Moed and the honor of G-d filled the Mishkan.” (40:34).
Mazal Tov! The cycle had been completed. For the first time since creation, the original Divine will and intent had come to be.
What was initiated in the beginning of the book of Genesis with the creation of the world, and reinforced earlier in the book of Exodus with the unprecedented event at Sinai, had come into full fruition at the end of our Parsha and book of Exodus. The fusion of heaven and earth – the holy and infinite with the lowly and finite. This of course, was a real propitious occasion – a cause for true joy and celebration.
It is well known that the Tabernacle in the desert was a prototype for the temple that each one of us is commanded to build – on a microcosmic level – within our very own entities. Much as with the Mishkan, our purpose in being is to bridge the apparent gap between the celestial and the uttermost earthly.
While it may be difficult to understand how G-d’s unlimited presence can be captured by our free willed actions, it is, according to Judaism, the solitary purpose for the creation of our universe. G-d desires and grants us the ability to draw down His presence into the parameters of our personal behaviors and experiences.
The process, then, seems rather clear: First there is Egypt, where we all begin our journey. Then there is Sinai – the acceptance of Divine authority and mission. This is followed by the building of a structure and system by which the Divine mission can be accomplished, i.e. the meticulous adherents to G-dly instruction.
The drawing down of the Divine presence into the Mishkan, for the first time, has opened the channel and paved the way for all of Israel to complete the process.
Moshe’s Blessing: “May the Lord rest His presence in your handiwork,” empowers us and ensures our success in this Divine endeavor. For all the effort notwithstanding, the fusion of heaven and earth is a miracle of G-d and His blessing and guidance must be continuously sought.
What follows, is the journey to the holy and Promised Land, at which point the mission of making this lowly world into a holy and Divine edifice is brought into complete fruition – when the world will be “Filled with the Knowledge of G-d like water covers the bed of the ocean.” May it be very soon, with the coming of the righteous Moshiach.
Chazak Chazak V’nischazeik!
